Wrapper-cutting mechanism.



H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

WRAPPER CUTTING, MEGHANISM. APPLIAOATION FILED MAY 26, 1908.

' 918,813. Patnpeii Apr. 20, 1909.

' I Emma/07? UNITED STATES PATENT orFIoEj.

HARR I YARRINGTON ARMSTRONG, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS.

. WRAPPER-CUTTING ldECHANISM.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed. May 26, 1908. Serial No. 435,110.

thereon, which form a part of this speoifica- 'tion.

This invention relates to a novel mechanism for cutting wrappers of a predetermined length from a continuous wrapper strip, and the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The object of my inventlon is to provide an exceedingly simple, eliicient and reliable mechanism for severing wrappers from av continuous strip, and so arranged as to out each wrapper of a predetermined length, with the printed label of the wrapper arranged symmetrically on each wrapper in case the wrappers bear printed labels.

A wrapper cutting mechanism made in accordance with my invention embraces, ingeneral terms, means for feeding a wrapper strip endwise thereof, a cutting device for severing the wrappers from the strip, and electrically operated means for operating said cutting device, having circuitclosing contact which are adapted for wiping engagement with a thin body of conducting material carried by or impressed on the wrapper strip, whereby when said circuit closing contacts engage said conducting material, the circuit is closed to bring the cutting device against the strip on a line to sever a wrapper of proper length from the strip. 7

As shown in the drawings :-Figure 1 is a vertical section illustrating the essential features of my wrap er cutting mechanism and one ractical app ication thereof. Fig. 2 is an e evation' of the parts shown in Fig. 1, showing also the operating circuit.

As shown in the drawings, 10 designates a roll of the wrapper strip which is supported on a mandrel 11 mounted on the outer ends of arms 12 fixed to a stationary part of the machine. The wrapper strip 14: extends downwardly from the roll and is fed between upper and lower pairs of feed rollers 15, 16 towardand into a wrapper recess 17 that is located below a chute 18 through which the articles lt) to be wrapped are passed to bring the same into contact with said wrapper which is severed from the strip and delivered 'into said recess.

The said articles 19 are delivered one at a time to the wrapping mechanism-by means of a plunger 20 which reciprocates through the lower end of a hopper 21 in which said articles to be wrapped are contained. The mechanism herein shown 1s deslgned for use in connection with a machine for wrapping chewing gum, of the construction illustrated in my pending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial No. 371,622 filed May 3rd, 1907. 1 have herein indicated only so much of the wrapping machine as'is necessary to show the ap licat'ion of myinvention thereto and have illustrated only the essential features of the cutting mechanism itself- Located between the upper and .lower.

pairs of feed rollers 15 and 16 is a horizontally swinging wrapper severing knife 25 which extends at right angles .to the path of the wrapper strip. 'Said'knife is formed or carried y a lever 26 which is hinged to a bracket 27 located at one side of the path of the wrapper strip. Said lever is widened to form auarmature 28 which is located ad- 'jacent to and cooperates with an electromagnet 29'which may be supported in any suitable manner on the machine frame. Said magnet 29 is included in circuit with a battery 30 and two circuit closing contacts 31, 31, which latter are insulated from each other. A Said circuit closing contacts have the form of flat thin plates or bars and are supportedqon a transverse bar 32 that is attached at its ends to the outer ends of arms 33, 33 fixed to a stationary part of the machine. Said contact strips 31, 31 are formed with curved contact ends 34 which are adapted to lightly en age the wrapper strip as it passes downwardly. The said wrapper strip is provided at uniformly spaced distances apart throughout its'length andon the side thereof facing toward said circuit closing contacts with thin bodies of conducting material 36 such, for instance, as a carbon composition. The said bodies of conducting material have the form\as herein shown, of narrow strips or areas which extend transversely across the strip and are imprinted on 'the face of the i wrapper strip ofsuch length as to be engaged by both of the circuit closing contacts 31 as they pass the latter. When said circuit closing contacts are engaged with the conducting bodies 36, a circuit is established through the battery 30 and the electro-magnet 29 thereby energizing the latter and drawing its armature 28 toward the same and swinging the cutting knife 25 against the wrapper strip to sever a wrapper therefrom. A suitable backing or abutment 40 may be arranged on the side of the strip opposite to the knife, against which the knife operates to sever the wrapper from the strip. The said knife and lever carrying the same tends to nor,- mally assume a position retracted from the wrapper strip, as indicated in Fig. 1, so as not to interfere with the travel of the wrapper strip past the same, and is drawn or swung against the wrapper strip to sever a wrapper therefrom when the circuit is closed in the manner stated.

The apparatus described afi'ords an exceedingly simple and effective means for severing wrappers from a strip and operates in such manner as to insure that wrappers of uniform length will be severed from the strip. The bodies 36 of the conducting material on the wrapper strip are so thin and light as not to in any manner interfere with the subsequent use of the wrapper, the current required to operate the mechanism being small.

'It will, of course, be understood that in the practical adaptation of my invention to different machines, the relative arrangement of the parts will be changed and different means will be employed for feeding and guiding the wrapper strip past the cuttin device. I. claim as my invention 1. Mechanism for severing wrappers from a continuous wrap er strip comprising means for feeding t e wrapper strip endwise, a cutting device, electrically operated means for actuating the cutting devlce embracing circuit closing contacts adapted for engagement with longitudinally spaced bodies of conducting material on the face of the wrapper strip.

2. Mechanism for severing wrappers from a continuous wrapper strip comprising means for feeding the wrapper strip endwise, a cutting device, an electro-magnetic device for operating the cutting device to sever a wrapper from the strip, and an electric circuit in which said electro-lnagnetic device is included, embracing two insulated circuit closing contacts adapted for wiping engagement with thin conducting bodies imprinted on said wrapper strip.

3. Mechanism for severing wrappers from a continuous wrapper strip comprising means for feeding the Wrapper strip endwise, a swinging lever carrying a knife for severing wrappers from the strip, an electromagnet acting on said lever to swing the knife against said strip to sever wrappers therefrom, and an electric circuit embracing circuit closing contacts adapted for wiping engagement with thin conducting bodies imprinted transversely across the wrapper strip and separated thereon longitudinally of the strip.

4. Mechanism for cutting wrappers from a continuous wrapper strip comprising upper and lower pairs of feed rolls between which the wrapper is fed endwise, a cutting device for severing wrappers from said strip located between said feed rolls, an electromagnetic device for operating the cutting device, and an electric circuit including said electro-magnetic device provided with two circuit closing contacts adapted for wiping engagement with thin insulating bodies imprinted on the wrapper strip.

In testimony, thatI claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature 'in the presence of two witnesses, this 1st day of May A. D. 1908.

'HARRY YARRINGTON ARMSTRONG.

Vitnesses WILLIAM L. HALL, GEORGE R. WILKINS. 

